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Saturday, May 6, 2017

Surname Saturday ~ MASON of Salem, Massachusetts

Thomas MASON, my 8th great grandfather, was a
fisherman who came to Salem in 1680 after selling land in Casco, Maine. [York Deeds, Volume 14, page 33 (
Book XIV, folio 8)] He was the pilot for
a privateer Dragon in 1694, captained by Robert Glover, which captured a rich
French ship St. Joseph at the mouth of the Canada River [the early name for the
St. Lawrence River). It was “Laden with
Wine, Brandy and other Mechandizes” [from the Acts and Resolves, Public and
Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Volume VII
(Resolves, etc. 1692 – 1702), page 55]
This prize was brought to Boston and valued at fifteen hundred pounds
sterling.

About 1686 he married Christian Oliver, the daughter of
Bridget (Playfer) Wasselbee Oliver Bishop, who would be hanged as a witch in
Salem in 1692. Their only daughter was Susannah
Mason (1687 – 1769) my 7th great grandmother. Christian died with a year of her mother’s
death by execution, about 1693, and Thomas Mason remarried on 1 November 1693 to the widow
Abigail (Curtice) Greenslade, the widow of Thomas Greenslade. He was one of Ann Pudeator’s sons (Ann was
hanged as a witch in 1692, too). So
Thomas Mason was married to two wives closely connected to witch trial
victims.

Edward Bishop, the husband of Bridget Bishop, was appointed
guardian to his step granddaughter Susannah Mason. When Thomas Oliver, Bridget’s second husband,
died the court ordered 9 pounds from his estate to be given to Christian Oliver
Mason, but she was already dead so the new administrator of the probate case
left the money to Susannah. On 12 April
1694 Edward Bishop was appointed the guardian of Susanna Mason and took control
of the 9 pounds. He bought a houselot
for her at the intersection of Essex Street and Forrester Street. This was her property when she married John
Becket, Jr. in 1711. The Beckets were
shipbuilders, and their shipyard was nearby.

My MASON lineage:

Generation 1 Thomas
Mason, born about 1665; married about 1686 in Salem to Christian Oliver,
daughter of Thomas Oliver and Bridget Playfer.
She was born 8 May 1667 in Salem, and died about 1693. One daughter.

Generation 2:
Susannah Mason, born 23 August 1687 in Salem, died after 1769; married
on 20 September 1711 in Salem to John Becket, son of William Becket and Hannah
Sibley. He was born in Salem on 10 August 1684 and died 1763. Six children.

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About Me

Author of the Nutfield Genealogy blog and occasional genealogy speaker. My family research includes Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, with a smattering of Nova Scotia. Please contact me if you see your ancestors on this blog. I would love to share information. I am the Governor of the New Hampshire Mayflower Society, former President of the Londonderry Historical Society, a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, The National Genealogical Society, and the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists.